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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The appointment ceremony for the Court Mage, held for the first time in fifty years.
Most of the nobles, including the high-ranking nobles from various regions, had gathered for this occasion.
Ostensibly, they were there to celebrate the new Court Mage, but in reality, they were driven by curiosity about Rudrick and a desire to assess the future political landscape.
The interest in Rudrick’s recent activities had intensified over the past few months.
“I heard the new Court Mage was seen in the south.”
“What are you talking about? I saw him in the capital with the Grand Duchess of Nord. It was during the festival, I believe.”
“Are you sure you saw him correctly?”
“I only caught a glimpse of him, so I’m not entirely sure. But he looked very similar, so I was curious. Seeing him today, I think I was right.”
“The south is where the Admiral’s main port is located, isn’t it? I heard rumors in the palace about them being close.”
The nobles were initially puzzled, their conversations filled with conflicting information.
Despite the discrepancies, their interest in Rudrick only intensified.
Finally, as the ceremony commenced, Rudrick appeared on the stage.
The nobles, who had been murmuring amongst themselves, suddenly seemed to understand.
“Well, that certainly explains it…”
“He’s quite handsome. A classic beauty.”
“What did I tell you? Didn’t I say he was a fine young man?”
They nodded in unison, as if his good looks justified the numerous rumors surrounding him.
Rudrick’s parents, however, were baffled by their reactions.
“Is our son really that… attractive…?”
Countess Aline Weiss looked around in bewilderment.
Having lived with Rudrick for nearly twenty years, they were surprised by the unexpected reactions of the nobles.
Only Serilla, who had reunited with Rudrick after ten years, seemed to understand.
“Our little brother grew up well, didn’t he?”
She had forgotten he was her younger brother when she first saw him after ten years of exchanging only letters.
She found the reactions of the nobles understandable.
In any case, amidst this heightened interest, the appointment ceremony for the new Court Mage, with Rudrick on stage, began.
The Crown Princess stood in for the Empress, who was bedridden and too ill to attend.
As the Crown Princess ascended the stage, Voltaire, the Palace Master, who was acting as the emcee, spoke in a solemn tone.
“The previous Court Mage, Lorenzo Tonali, passed away in an unfortunate accident. After careful consideration, we have decided to appoint Rudrick Weiss, the eldest son of Countess Weiss, as the new Court Mage.”
Many of the nobles had never heard of the Weiss family.
While they were a prominent family in the western regions of the Empire, their influence didn’t extend to the capital.
Only a few rural nobles who had come from the west looked at Rudrick with recognition.
Rudrick, under the scrutiny of countless curious eyes, tried to maintain his composure.
This was the first time he had received so much attention.
He found it fascinating how Voltaire, who had been so casual and chatty just moments ago, had transformed into such a serious and dignified figure.
‘If I laugh, it’ll be a disaster.’
He forced down the urge to smile as he watched Voltaire’s transformation and put on a solemn expression.
Eileen, Lassiel, and Sylvia, who knew the truth, were struggling to contain their laughter.
“Rudrick Weiss is the eldest son of Countess Aline Weiss, a loyal subject of the Empress, and the disciple of the late Court Mage. He displayed exceptional talent in magic from a young age.”
The Palace Master continued, her voice solemn and authoritative.
“Under the guidance of the late Court Mage, he blossomed into an Archmage, possessing the necessary skills to become the new Court Mage. Furthermore, during the recent verification process, he journeyed beyond the wall to the Nord Mountains and eliminated countless monsters, alleviating the concerns of the north. His contributions are significant, and he is undoubtedly qualified to become the Court Mage.”
Technically, he was the youngest Archmage in history.
That was why Eileen’s description of this ceremony as a “de facto coronation” wasn’t an exaggeration.
Rudrick’s existence was a shock to the mainstream magic community, including the Magic Tower.
An Archmage at the age of twenty.
It meant that a pioneer who would lead the magic community for the next century had emerged.
Even the current Master of the Magic Tower, one of the most renowned Archmages in the continent alongside Lorenzo, had been an apprentice at the age of twenty.
Rudrick’s talent was unparalleled in the past centuries.
This could potentially shift the center of the magic community from the Magic Tower to the Empire.
“This is a great blessing for the Empire.”
“The previous Court Mage served as a deterrent to war simply by his existence. It’s good to know he raised a worthy successor.”
The veteran nobles, who understood the political implications of the current situation, voiced their approval.
“Furthermore, during his expedition beyond the wall, Rudrick Weiss subdued the ‘Blue Dragon of the North,’ who was plotting to threaten the Empire’s northern security, and forced it to abandon its plans. His contributions to the Empire are significant.”
As the Palace Master finished speaking…
Clap, clap.
Scattered applause broke out.
The nobles seated at the front stood up and began clapping.
Clap, clap, clap!
The applause grew louder, filling the Hall of the Sun.
The nobles rose from their seats, giving Rudrick a standing ovation.
A human who had defeated a dragon.
This unprecedented feat since the age of myths deserved such praise.
The ceremony came to a halt as the applause continued, but the Palace Master didn’t try to stop them.
She, too, believed that such a feat deserved a standing ovation.
“…”
Rudrick, the recipient of this praise, stood silently on stage.
He tried to maintain a serious expression, but the corners of his mouth twitched.
The nobles assumed he was simply trying to hide his joy and didn’t fault him for it.
“…Pfft.”
Only those who knew the truth struggled to contain their laughter as they watched Rudrick struggling to keep a straight face.
Elena, also seated in the VIP section, had been staring at him with a blank expression.
Now, a faint smile played on her lips.
They were laughing, but…
‘…I’m screwed. I’m so screwed. This is a complete disaster.’
Rudrick, standing on stage, was dying to burst out laughing.
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Fortunately, he managed to avoid the disaster of laughing out loud during the ceremony.
But how could he not laugh?
It was hilarious.
“…That was close.”
It was a kind of break time.
Even though they had simplified the procedures, the ceremony was still quite long.
This break gave him a chance to return to the waiting room and compose himself.
“You were struggling to keep a straight face the whole time. If you had laughed, it would have been recorded in the Empire’s history books for all eternity.”
“As the first Court Mage to laugh during his appointment ceremony?”
“Well, something like that. It wouldn’t have been a positive record.”
Arwen, who had been waiting for him in the waiting room, chuckled.
It was a rare sight to see a cat chuckling, but he couldn’t help but find it annoying.
Most of the ceremony was over.
All that was left was the investiture.
Once he was officially invested as the Court Mage, the ceremony would be over and he would have successfully completed the “don’t laugh” challenge.
“By the way, you were watching from the back, right? How did you see?”
“You’re a mage, you should know. Even a novice mage can learn farsight or clairvoyance with a little effort.”
“…Is that so? You managed to bypass my mana barrier? It’s practically impenetrable.”
“You underestimate how long I’ve been watching you. It’s not impossible for me to break through your barrier, even if it’s difficult.”
“So you’ve been spying on me this whole time?”
“…”
Arwen quickly shut her mouth.
First, the shadow spying incident, and now this… He needed to keep a close eye on her.
He decided to put Arwen on his watch list and sat down on a chair, ignoring her silence.
The long ceremony was almost over, but he already felt exhausted.
Traditionally, the Empress would personally invest the new Court Mage, but since she was ill, the Crown Princess would likely take her place.
After that, he would have to greet his family… He had a mountain of things to do.
He shook his head.
Why was his life so complicated?
He still hadn’t found a cure for his condition.
What if he collapsed and died right after all this?
“By the way, Arwen.”
“What is it?”
“What was that last resort you mentioned? You said it was a kind of insurance.”
Arwen hesitated at his question.
She remained silent for a long moment, a contemplative look on her face.
Then, as if she had come to a decision, she spoke.
“…Since you’ve made your choice, I suppose it doesn’t matter if I tell you now.”
“…?”
“It… it’s…”
She trailed off, her voice uncertain.
“…Just tell me. What is it?”
“…Is.”
“What?”
“…Tual… inter… course.”
She mumbled so softly that he could barely hear her.
He looked at her with a puzzled expression, and she finally spat it out, as if giving up.
“It’s sexual intercourse.”
What?
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